Device for mounting a pedal lever of a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A device is provided for mounting a pedal lever ( 1 ) of a motor vehicle, which is accommodated in a housing ( 3 ) pivotably around at least one said bearing element ( 2 ). At least one section of a separating wedge ( 5 ) is supported via a said support surface ( 4 ) against a motor vehicle component ( 7 ) and brings about the shearing off of the bearing element ( 2 ) due to the action of an external force caused by an accident due to a relative movement between the separating wedge ( 5 ) and the bearing element ( 2 ) by applying a shearing force. The separating wedge ( 5 ) is accommodated between a surface of the housing ( 3 ) and the bearing element ( 2 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention pertains to a device for mounting a pedallever for a motor vehicle which is accommodated in a housing pivotablyaround at least one bearing element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The increasing requirements imposed on motor vehicles in terms ofincreasing safety are seen in numerous systems. In pedal fasteningmeans, there is a known risk for accidents in that a deformation of theengine compartment directly or indirectly affects the pedals and theseare moved into the leg room of the motor vehicle. The serious injuriesto the lower extremities, which can be caused by jamming between thepedals, can be considered to be the risks associated for the driver ofthe vehicle.

[0003] To avoid these risks of injury, separating mechanisms are known,which utilize the introduction of force from the outside, which iscaused by the accident, to drive at least one separating wedge betweentwo cheeks of a housing pivotably accommodating the pedal lever or thepedal levers in order to make possible as a result the release of thebearing bolt carrying the pedal lever. However, these solutions have notultimately proved successful, because the mounting of such systems israther complicated and at least the deformation areas must be made ofmetallic materials. However, it is advantageous in connection with theweight reduction of the assembly units present in the motor vehicle tomanufacture the largest possible number of parts from light-weightmaterials, e.g., plastics.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The technical object of the present invention is to provide adevice for mounting a pedal lever, which reduces the risk of injury andthe degree of severity of the injuries to the driver of the vehicle.

[0005] This technical object is accomplished by a device of this typefor mounting a pedal lever which is accommodated in a housing pivotablyaround at least one bearing element. At least one section of aseparating wedge is supported via a support surface against a motorvehicle component and brings about the shearing off of the bearingelement due to the action of an external force caused by an accident dueto a relative movement between the separating wedge and the bearingelement by applying a shearing force. This separating wedge isaccommodated between a surface of the housing and the bearing element.

[0006] It can thus be achieved that as a consequence of the action of anexternal force, which is caused by an accident, a relative movementtakes place between the separating wedge and the bearing element, whichbrings about the shearing off of the bearing element due to theapplication of a shearing force. This relative movement arises eitherfrom the deformation of the motor vehicle component or from the movementof the housing, which in turn originates from a deformation of parts ofthe motor vehicle. Consequently, the shearing off, i.e., the destructionof the bearing element, is correspondingly brought about deliberatelyaccording to the present invention in order to guarantee the necessaryprotection of the passengers. A bearing bolt or a bearing bush, whichmount the pedal lever pivotably, may be used as a bearing element.

[0007] The device has, on the whole, a very simple design and can bemanufactured nearly completely from light-weight materials, such asplastic. As such, there are hardly any limits to shaping.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it isproposed that an abutment for contacting and slidingly movably guidingthe separating wedge be provided at the housing. This abutment may havea ramp function, so that the separating wedge can exert its shearingaction on the bearing element. At the same time, this abutment makespossible the clearance-free contact of the separating wedge between theabutment and the bearing element during normal operation.

[0009] To improve the shearing action, it is advantageous to provide theseparating wedge with at least one wedge-shaped or arc-shaped activesurface on the side facing the bearing element. As a result, it ispossible to clearly define the point in time at which the bearingelement is completely separated as a function of the path traveled bythe separating wedge.

[0010] A variant of the present invention can, furthermore, be seen inthe bearing element traversing two cheeks of the housing located atspaced locations from one another and by the pedal lever being arrangedapproximately in the middle between the cheeks on the bearing element. Adistance is present now between the pedal lever and the respectiveassociated cheek on both sides of the pedal lever, so that theseparating wedge, which is provided with two legs in at least this area,is directly in contact with the bearing element, on the one hand, andwith the abutment, on the other hand.

[0011] As was mentioned above, the relative movement between theseparating wedge and the bearing element can also be achieved by thevehicle component to which the housing is fastened being deformed. It iscorrespondingly meaningful to fasten the housing at the front wall inthe leg area on the driver's side of the motor vehicle, because thefront wall is usually deformed relatively greatly in an accident, andthe advantageous effect of the solution according to the presentinvention is achieved as a result at an early point in time. The motorvehicle component may be correspondingly the cross beam located closest.

[0012] To facilitate the shearing off, it is, moreover, appropriate andadvantageous to provide the bearing element with at least onepredetermined breaking point. Furthermore, the bearing element may bedesigned as a one-part or two-part bearing bolt. The two-part design hasespecially advantages in terms of mounting. However, it should beensured in this case that each of the pin parts is shorn off by theseparating wedge during the accident. However, a bearing bush, which canlikewise be shorn off by the action of the shearing force, may also beconsidered to be a bearing element corresponding to the presentinvention.

[0013] Since the brake pedal of a motor vehicle is connected, e.g., to abrake booster and the latter has a brake rod, the deformation of thefront wall in this area may have an especially strong effect, so thatthere is a risk that the pedal lever is moved into the passengercompartment by an unacceptable large amount before the shearing off ofthe bearing element. To counteract this situation, it is proposed that ablocking member, which limits the evading movement of the pedal in thedirection of the passenger compartment during an accident, be providedat the housing in a solution according to the present invention.

[0014] To fix the separating wedge, which is normally inserted looselybetween the cross beam and the pedal mount, a securing means for holdingat the housing is, furthermore, provided between the separating wedgeand the housing.

[0015] The various features of novelty which characterize the inventionare pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forminga part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter inwhich a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the drawings:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a device for mounting apedal lever;

[0018]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a device for mounting a pedal lever;and

[0019]FIG. 3 is a bearing element for a device for mounting a pedallever.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] Referring to the drawings in particular, for mounting a pedallever 1 of a motor vehicle, the device shown in FIG. 1 contains abearing element 2. The bearing element 2 is pivotably accommodated in ahousing 3. The housing is fastened at the front wall of the motorvehicle in the leg area of the motor vehicle. A section of a separatingwedge 5, is supported via a support surface 4 against a motor vehiclecomponent 7. This A section of a separating wedge 5 is accommodatedbetween a surface of the housing 3 and the bearing element 2. The motorvehicle component 7 is a cross beam in this arrangement which is usefulfor contacting the separating wedge. This is because it is usuallydeformed only slightly even in serious accidents, so that a reliable,nearly constant support of the separating wedge 5 becomes possible. Asis apparent, the separating wedge 5 is inserted loosely between thecross beam 7 and the contact area between the bearing element 2 and thehousing 3. Complicated mounting can therefore be eliminated. A securingmeans 17 is provided that preferably consists of a soft material, sothat the shearing action is not affected when needed. Each securingmeans 17 is present only as a means for protection against loss for thetransport of the device at each leg between the separating wedge 5 andthe housing 3.

[0021] The separating wedge 5 brings about the shearing off of thebearing element 2 as a consequence of the action of an external forcecaused by an accident due to a relative movement between the separatingwedge 5 and the bearing element 2 by applying a shearing force. Theseparating wedge 5 comprises in the embodiment being shown a basic bodywith which two parallel legs 14, 15 are made in one piece. On the sidefacing the bearing element 2, these legs 14, 15 have an active surface 8each. The active surface 8 was shaped as an arc-shaped contour in thiscase. The parallel arrangement of the legs is advantageous, because theshearing force can be applied uniformly on two different areas of thebearing element 2 under the action of the external force, so that thebearing element can be severed with certainty and reliably when this isnecessary. The bearing element 2 traverses two cheeks 10, 11 of thehousing 3. The two cheeks 10, 11 of the housing 3 are arranged at spacedlocations from one another. The pedal lever 1 is arranged on the bearingelement 2 approximately centrally between these cheeks 10, 11, so thatthere is a distance 12, 13 between the pedal lever 1 and the respectiveassociated cheek 10 or 11 on both sides of the pedal lever 1. Thesedistances 12, 13 form contact areas for the active surfaces 8 of theseparating wedge 5 at the bearing element 2. The distances 12, 13 shouldnot be substantially greater than the width of the legs 14, 15. On theside located opposite the active surface 8 of the separating wedge 5,the separating wedge 5 is in contact with a housing surface designed asan abutment 6.

[0022] As is apparent from the sectional view in FIG. 2, the abutment 6and the associated surface of the separating wedge 5 are flat surfaces,which permit the sliding movement of the components.

[0023] As is apparent from FIG. 3, the bearing element has twopredetermined breaking points 9 and is designed as a one-part bearingbolt in this case.

[0024] To avoid an unacceptably wide movement of the pedal lever intothe passenger compartment, a blocking member 16 is arranged at thehousing 3. The blocking member limits the evading movement of the pedalin the direction of the interior space of the vehicle during anaccident.

[0025] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

1. Device for mounting a said pedal lever (1) of a motor vehicle, whichis accommodated in a said housing (3) pivotably around at least one saidbearing element (2), characterized in that at least one section of asaid separating wedge (5), which is supported via a said support surface(4) against a said motor vehicle component (7) and which brings aboutthe shearing off of the said bearing element (2) due to the action of anexternal force caused by an accident due to a relative movement betweenthe said separating wedge (5) and the said bearing element (2) byapplying a shearing force, is accommodated between a surface of the saidhousing (3) and the said bearing element (2).
 2. Device for mounting apedal lever in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a saidabutment (6) is present at the said housing (3) for contacting andslidingly movably guiding the said separating wedge (5).
 3. Device formounting a pedal lever in accordance with one of the above claims,characterized in that the said separating wedge (5) has a saidwedge-shaped or arc-shaped active surface (8) on the side facing thesaid bearing element (2).
 4. Device for mounting the pedal lever inaccordance with claim 3, characterized in that the said bearing element(2) traverses two said cheeks (10, 11) of the said housing (3), whichare located at spaced locations from one another, the said pedal lever(1) is arranged approximately centrally between the said checks (10, 11)on the said bearing element (2), and there is a said distance (12, 13)between the said pedal lever (1) and the said respective associatedcheek (10 or 11) on both sides of the said pedal lever (1), so that thesaid separating wedge (5), which is provided with two said legs (14, 15)in at least this area, is in contact with the said bearing element (2),on the one hand, and with the said abutment (6), on the other hand. 5.Device for mounting a pedal lever in accordance with one of the aboveclaims, characterized in that the said housing (3) is fastened to thefront wall in the leg area of the driver's side of the motor vehicle,and the said vehicle component (7) is a cross beam.
 6. Device formounting a pedal lever in accordance with one of the above claims,characterized in that the said bearing element (2), which has at leastone said predetermined breaking point (9), is a one-part or two-partbearing bolt.
 7. Device for mounting a pedal lever in accordance withone of the above claims, characterized in that a said blocking member(16), which limits an evading movement of the pedal in the direction ofthe interior space of the vehicle, is present at the said housing (3).8. Device for mounting a pedal lever in accordance with one of the aboveclaims, characterized in that the said separating wedge (5) has a saidsecuring means (17) for holding on the said housing (3).